Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



Dec. 14,1926; 1,610,394

H. A. THOMPSON RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1925 Applias Brakes wlzzi INVENTOR:

BY R-M M ATTORNEY Byway-gazed LZIZZQSS Acknowledged by Ehgzfnemn I-How'ARn A. THOMPSON/0F 'WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, assrenonf'ro Union PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF'SWISSVALE,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or f nAI'LwA -rnAFrIo-conrnonnrne rieAnArUsL 7 Application filed October 17, i925. ser ai nofeaoze;

My invention relates to railway traflic con trolling apparatus, and particularly to "ap paratus'of the type comprising'governing means located on a train and controlled by energy received from thetrackjway; More particularly my invention relates 'I will describe one form of trackway apparatu embodying my invention, and will Y i by means ofins'ulated joints 2, into a 'plurah rent such as a track battery here designated l is then point out. the novel features thereof in claims. j a a The accompanying drawing is a diagram matic view illustrating one form of railway traflic controlling apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to this drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a stretch of railway track over which traflic normally moves inthe directionindica'ted by'the arrow. .iThese' rails are divided,

ity of successive track sections AB., 'B- G, etc.f 1 i .m

'A track relay R is connected'across the rails adjacent the entrance end of secti onlBC and a similar relay R is connected across the rails adjacent the entrance end of'the sectionto the right of point Cf A similar track relay R is connected across: therails adjacent the exit end of sectionAa-B. Track circuit-current is supplied to the rails of each section from a suitable source of direct curby the reference character E with an exponent corresponding to the location. It should be noted that the track. battery for "section A+B is located'at the entrance end of the section whereas the track battery for "section B-G is located adj acentthe exit end of the section, i 'Means are also provided for supplying alternating train controllingcurrentto the "rails of each track section. -'As here shown the immediate source ofthis train control-- ling current for-each section is a main transiformer designated by the reference charac- .ter-T with an exponent corresponding to the l'ocation. The primary 4601' each such main transformer i constantly suppliedwith alternating current foma suitable source, such ,as analterna tor- M,over linewires 3 and 3 Located adjacentthe exit end of each track section is an auxiliary conductor, exi tending parallel to rail ,l and designated to the hereinafter.

these auxiliary conductors will be explained V V j Referring particularlylto section it the reference character D designates a transformer, the primary f which isconnect'ed with the secondary .5 of transformer T through a back contact- 10 of relay" '3 and'the auxiliary conductor F L The sec} ondary 7 of transformer D is connected across the rails adjacent the exit end of section AB,.through"a-frontcontactfll of a relay R andthe usual resistance 12. 'Itfollowsthat when relay R isde-energi'zed, as by the 'presence'of a train in section"AB,

the circuit for primary 6 of transformer D is closed, and magnetizing-j current is sup iliary conductor F ffrom' transformer T 5;

plied-to this "transformer through the aux:

D train controlling current is supplied to j the railsof section AB from secondary T of transformed D If,-however, relay R 3 is" ole-energized, the supply: of'train controlling current to section ;A-B is. interrupted,

no matter whatthe condition of. relay 7R Referring now; to section B .C, the primary 6 of transformer D is connected con i stantly with secondary 5.:oftransformer T? through auxiliaryconductor F The sec ondary 7 of transformer D is connected,

through front contactllof relay: Rfiwith the primary 8 of a transformer J. The secondary 9 of transformer J is connected across therails of 'section.BC in series withthe -trackbattery E and theusu'al resistance 12 andreactor 13.. The. primary circuit for transformer D is closed at all tlmes so that the magnetizing current for this transformer flows through theauxiliary conductorjF constantly. When relay R is energized currentis supplied to the primary 8 of: transformer J and as a result train controlling current is'supplied to the rails ofsection BC. a

'Thetrackway circuits thus far described v are suitable form-operation with'train car-i j rie d governing meansof the type illustrated onthe train Vfocoupying the section-to the left oftpoint A. Carried on train ad Vance of the frontaXl-e16is a pick-up device here shown as two magnetizable cores 14 and 1& located in inductive relation withithe track rails 1 and 1*, respectively. Core 14 is provided with awinding 15,.and core 14:"

inductive relation'with an energized auxiliary conductor 1*. Relay K controls train carried governing meansnot shown in the drawing in such manner that the brakes are applied when relay K becomes de-energi'zed unless. the engineman acknowledges this changeby taking some deliberate action to forestallthe brake application, One form of train carried governing means which function in this manner lllustrated and described in United States Letters Patent No.

1,492,? 19, granted to R." A. McCann, on the 6th day of Ma3n1924, for railway traffic con 7 trolling apparatus.

' In connection with the trackway apparatus it should be particular y noted that at times the current'flowing through the auxiliary conductor is only the magnetizing current for the primary windingroi the associated transformerD. At other times, however, that is,'when the secondary. circuit for the corresponding transformer D is clos d, the current throughv the auxiliary conductor includes not only th'e magnetizing current but a load current; In my invention the apparatus is so proportioned that the voltage induced in the winding 15 by current flow- 11159; through the auxiliary conductor under either of these conditions is sufficient to oper- As shownin the drawing, sections and BC and the section to the right of point are unoccupied. Track relaysfi R and R are therefore all energized. Train supplied to section AB, therefore, and nocurrent 1s flowing- HlflHZ'QllZUY conductor F controlling current is therefore supplied to the rails of section BC from secondary 9 of transformer- J. Alternating current is also supplied to auxiliary conductor F 'The secondary circuit for transformer D is closed butthe circuit for'primary 6 of this transformer is open at back contact 10 of relay R NO-t12l1Il controlling current is When the train enters section A-B, re-

lay R will become-de-energized, thereby closing the primary'cirouit tor transformer D and supplying alternating: current to the auxiliary conductor F traincontroll ng current will be supplied to At the same ime the rails of section AB.- Relay K will carried pick-up device has moved away from transformer D will beinterrupted: and the '10 ergized condition so that the trainwill be permitted to proceed without incurring an automatic 7 application fOf the brakes. I

1 will now assume that section 13-0 is occupied by atrain so that relay R is deenergized. it, now, train V enters section A-B,'relayf R will become de-energized' as before, so that current will be supplied to the-auxiliary conductor F but relay B being de-energized,no train controlling current will be supplied to the rails of section AB. Relay K will therefore become deenergized. and an automatic application of the brakes will result unlessthe engineman acknowledges. If the engineman does acknowledge the train can proceed until core 1 1 passes over auxiliary conductor F whereupon relay K will become energized. hen the train carried core 14 leaves the auxiliary conductor F relay K will again become de-energized and the engineman must again acknowledge to prevent an automatic application oi the brakes.

Similarly if the section to the right of point C is occupied by a train, relay B 'will be de-energized and the train V. entering section B{] will incur an automatic ap-' plication of the brakes because of the deenergization o'trelay IQ unless the engine-- man acknowledges. VJhen the: train reaches auxiliary conductor F the magnetizing current for primary 6 of transformer D which is flowing in this conductor, will again. energize relay K. VV-hen the train the conductor F relay K will again become tie-energized and the enginema'n must again 'acknowl'edge'to prevent an automatic brake application. I j

*1 will assume that the stretch" of trackshown in the drawing is unoccupied and that a break occurs in the circuit including the auxiliary conductor F3. When the train V enters section A B the relay'lt will become de-energized as before, but the pri- .115 mary circuit for transformercD is now interrupted and'therefore no train controlling current canbe supplied to the rails of'sec- 't-ions.A-B The train will therefore-incur an automatic brake application unless the engineman acknowledges Similarly, if a break occurs in the circuit including auxil iary conductor E the primary circuit forsupply of train,controllingcurrent'to section BC will be discontinued. V I

It follows therefore that with myinventio'n any break or fault in the circuit including one of the auxiliary conductors will result in preventing the supply of train cona trolling current to the associated track secj- 'tion. A train entering suchassociated sec-' tlon will therefore receive a brake applica- 'tion unless "the ,engineman acknowledges.

It follows that with apparatusembodyin'g my invention the integrity of the circuits for the auxiliary conductors is completely checked, each portion of such clrcuits hav ing to be intact in order that train controlling current may be supplied to the rails, of the associated section. v V a w Although I have hereinshown and described only one form of railway trafiic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein Within the scope of the appended claims without de parting from the spirit 'andscope of my in-. vention. Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim is:

1. In combination with a stretch of rai1- way track and'a transformer for at times supplying train controlling current to said stretch, an auxiliary conductor located in the .trackway and connected in series w th the primary of saidtransformer, and tram carried governing means responsive-to the train controlling current in said stretch and also responsive to r the transformer magnetizing current flowing in said conductorg y 2. In combination, a stretch of railway track,-a source of alternating current, an auxiliary conductor locatedin the trackway;

a transformer having its primaryconnected in series with said auxiliary 'conductori'and with said source,.means for attimes supplying train controlling current from the secondary ofsaid transformer to the rails of the stretch, and train carried governing means responsive to alternating current flowing in the track rails and' also to the magnetizing current for saidtransformer flowing 1n said conductor.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway trackway.

track; a relay responsive to traflic conditions i in said stretch, an auxiliary conductor lo-' cated in the trackway, asourceof alternatj mg current, a transformer; a c1rcu1t for the primary of said transformer includ ng said auxiliary conductor, said source, anda contact of said relay; means for supplylng train controlling current from thesecondary of said transformer to the rails of said stretch, and governing means on a'train controlled by, energy received fromv the 4. In combination astretch of railway track, a-relay responsive to traflic conditions in said stretch; an auxiliary conductor located in the trackway, a source of alternatingcurrent, a transformer; a circuit for the primary of said transformer including. said ELLlXlllalY conductor; said source; and a contactcof'sa'ld relay; means for at times connecting the secondary of said transformer located in the trackway, a source of alternating current, a first transformer having its primary connected in se'rles w th said source and said. auxiliary conductor, a-relay responsive to traflic conditions in advance of said stretch, a'second transformer, a circuit for theprimary of said second transformer including-the secondary of said'first transformer and a contact of said relay, and means for supplying alternating current from thesecondary of 'said second transformer to the railsiof said stretch, V

" In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

' HoWARD AQTHOMPSONQ 7 i DISCLAIMER 1,610,394.H0ward A. Thompson, Wilkinsburg', Pa. RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-OONTROL- LING APPARATUS. Patent dated December 14, 1926. Disclaimer filed June 22, 1933, by the assignee, The Union Switch 6% Signal Company. Hereby enters the following disclaimer, to wit: Your petitioner hereby disclaims the subject matter of claims 1, 2, and 5. [Oficz'al Gazette July 18, 1933.] 

